In the digital television broadcasting, as shown FIG. 6, a frequency band for the digital television broadcasting is divided into plural bands called transponders, and in each of the transponders, various kinds of digital information such as plural television programs, moving images, voices, and various data are broadcast in a multiplexed form.
In the digital television broadcasting, since plural channels (television programs) are broadcast in one transponder, so-called picture-in-picture for displaying, in a screen of a certain channel, a reduced screen of another channel in the same transponder can also be performed. Alternatively, if a digital recorder such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is prepared in a receiver, while watching a television program of a certain channel, a viewer (user) can also record a television program of another channel in the same transponder.
In addition, in the case in which a program is broadcast in a standard system by one transponder, six channels (services) can be broadcast at the maximum, and in the case in which a program is broadcast in a high definition system, two channels can be broadcast at the maximum. Consequently, in the case in which a television program is broadcast in a transponder, data of an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) is broadcast simultaneously. Further, the receiver of the digital television broadcasting is adapted such that a program guide can be displayed using the broadcast data of the EPG and a desired program can be selected from the program guide.
Therefore, according to the digital television broadcasting and the receiver therefor, the viewer (user) can enjoy a larger number of channels compared with analog television broadcasting.
Incidentally, when the program guide is displayed using the data of the EPG, for example, as shown in FIG. 7A, a program guide in which a horizontal axis represents hours and a vertical axis represents channels is displayed. Then, when the viewer instructs scroll in an hour direction, this program guide is scrolled in a lateral direction, and the viewer can learn about programs in hours not shown in the figure. When the viewer instructs scroll in a channel direction, this program guide is scrolled in a longitudinal direction, and the viewer can learn about programs in channels not shown in the figure.
However, as shown in FIG. 6, in the case in which television programs are broadcast in a certain transponder n, although an EPG broadcast in the transponder n has detailed information on the programs broadcast in the transponder n, the EPG only has simple information on programs broadcast in other transponders.
Therefore, when a program guide is displayed when a receiver is receiving the certain transponder n, for example, as shown in FIG. 7A, although program names and broadcasting hours are displayed in detail for each channel for the transponder n, only a program name of a program being currently broadcast is displayed for an adjacent transponder (n+1), and nothing is displayed for programs to be broadcast following the program.
Then, when the transponder being received is switched from the transponder n to the transponder (n+1), as shown in FIG. 7B, program names and broadcasting hours are displayed in detail for each channel for the transponder (n+1). Note that, in this case, for a transponder (n+2) adjacent to the transponder (n+1), only a program name of a program being currently broadcast is displayed, and nothing is displayed for programs to be broadcast following the program.
Then, time a little less than one second is required from the time when the receiver instructs a front-end circuit to switch a transponder to be received until the time when the transponder is actually switched and, thereafter, data of an EPG is obtained stably.
Therefore, in the case in which a program guide is displayed to scroll, when the scroll moves across transponders, the scroll temporarily stops. Thus, the scroll becomes awkward to give stress and feeling of low operability to the viewer.
In addition, for example, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, if the receiver displays reduced screens of three consecutive channels in a state of moving images by using the function of picture-in-picture and switches channels to be the reduced screens in order in accordance with an instruction of the viewer (such display will be hereinafter referred to as “channel scroll display”), the viewer can select a channel while actually watching program contents. However, even in the case of this channel scroll display, when channels to be displayed extend across transponders, since switching of the channels stops temporarily, the scrolling also gives feeling of low operability and stress to the viewer.
In view of the points as described above, it is an object of the invention to, when a program guide is displayed to scroll in a channel direction or the channel scroll display is performed, prevent the scrolling from stopping even if displayed contents extend across transponders.